


Breathe Me

by ReaperLuca



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-30
Updated: 2012-11-30
Packaged: 2017-11-19 21:50:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/578024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaperLuca/pseuds/ReaperLuca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Ruby comes back to unlock an unhappy Belle after the events in Child of the Moon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breathe Me

**Author's Note:**

> first part

“Hey…”

Belle whipped her head up at the sound of her voice. A voice that she had spent the night memorizing, trying to keep it close to heart seeing as she thought that she’d never hear it again. Her brows furrowed together as relief took her breath away before she shakily inhaled and breathed, “Ruby…?”

Ruby smiled tremulously, her fingers curling and uncurling repeatedly into fists as she hesitantly walked into the room. Belle swallowed, her relief mounting as she beamed and blurted out, “You’re alive!” before standing on shaky legs and taking a hurried step forward.

The chain catching stopped her in her tracks as the reality of the situation slammed back into her. She frowned before slowly stepping back.

Remorse flashed in Ruby’s eyes as she caught the small movement. She lowered her head for a moment before seemingly steeling her resolve and attempting a weak laugh.

“Yeah-“ she started breathily, “turns out that I didn’t kill anyone after all. At least, not this time.”

Silence befell them after that and Ruby had to fight to stay still, the urge to fidget and release the still pent up energy coursing through her apparent. She inhaled once more before moving forward so that she could unchain Belle.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she cupped Belle’s hand and unlocked the shackles. She raised her eyes so that she could down into Belle’s properly, “I’m so sorry, Belle.”

Instead of responding, Belle pulled away as soon as she could, rubbing at her raw wrist slowly and leveling Ruby with a small glare as tears pricked the corners of her eyes, “I thought they killed you.”

“David saved me; it-it was Spencer. He set it up so that it would look like a wolf killed Billy-“ Ruby sighed as she clenched her fist in anger, “he framed me to get back at David and-”

Eyes widening, Ruby’s trailed off as her remorse grew and a pang of self loathing floated through her at the tiny cuts she could see along Belle’s wrist. She reached towards her hurriedly and grasped Belle’s arm loosely, “You’re hurt,” she murmured before chuckling self deprecatingly, “I guess I did hurt you after all.”

Belle snatched her wrist away at that and moved back until her back hit the wall; she sniffled, holding her hand up to stop Ruby from coming any closer and shuddering as a silent sob wracked through her body. She attempted to blink back tears only to find that her efforts proved fruitless and raised the back of her hand to her cheeks to wipe at her face.

“They could have killed you,” Belle’s throat constricted a bit at the words, “I-I thought you had-I thought you were dead and you-“

“Belle-“

“You just left me here, alone and-“

“I was just trying to protect you!” Ruby argued brusquely, her brows drawn together in a tight frown.

“I didn’t ask for you to do that, Ruby! You took away my choice.” Belle’s voice cracked at the end as she closed her eyes and inhaled tremulously. The seconds ticked by before Belle opened her eyes and whispered wearily, “Just like my father and Rumpelstiltskin.”

“Belle-“

“Please go.”

Ruby’s breath caught at the command. Her brows furrowed as her mouth dropped opened a little, “Belle, I’m-I’m sorry,” she breathed as she tried to move closer only to stop in her tracks at the anger she could see in those eyes. “Belle,” she pleaded, needing Belle to forgive her, though she didn't know why.

“Go, Ruby. Please.”

Keeping her eyes trained on Belle’s face, Ruby searched for even an ounce of hesitance in her expression only to find anger and an unquestionable amount of sadness. Her self loathing rose to an almost unbearable level because while she understood why Belle was so angry with her she had only wanted to keep her safe.

But instead of staying and trying to comfort Belle like everything inside of her was screaming to do, she nodded and straightened up.

And because she felt like it was the least she could do, because she didn’t want to once again make Belle feel like she had no choice, Ruby abided by her wishes.

She turned around.

And ran.


End file.
